MVSTO: We Made It!
Thank you to everyone who helped the Mississippi Valley School Tuition Organization (MVSTO) meet its 2020 goal. We could not do it without donors and those who pass the word along about the need for the donations! The MVSTO provides tuition assistance to more than 620 students in Scott County. That figure represents about 35% of all students. The state authorized amount that could be raised in 2020 and can now be distributed in 2021 is just over $1.3 million.
Civic Oration Results Later This Week
We hope to have have our 5th-8th grade civic oration results for the finalists later this week. Again, I must congratulate all of our 5th-8th graders in adapting to doing recorded speeches. It’s so awkward talking to just a camera!
COVID Data
Below is a link to a .pdf file that shows several graphs of Scott County and JFK data. Although there was no school for the last two weeks, we did have a December 30th meeting with the Scott County Health Department.
I’ll add a few comments below as well.
- The Scott County 14 day positivity rate the Department of Education uses was at a recent lowest level on December 26th and 28th (11.8%). Scott County hadn’t seen that rate since late October. Since December 28th, however, the rate has ticked up slightly each day. This morning, it was listed as 13%, and, this afternoon, it is listed as 13.1%.
- Correct mask usage for students and staff has been around 94%-95% as measured by about 15 walkthroughs over five days before break. The most common improper usage observed is a mask that has slipped below one’s nose. Health experts say the target should be at least 95% for proper mask usage.
- Portable air purifiers will be placed in each classroom soon. With the temperatures falling, we’re in a constant battle of keeping windows cracked open for ventilation and rooms being harder to keep properly heated. Although portable units are undersized, they should give us some more options to help.
Upcoming Dates
- Jan 4: School starts again
- Jan 14: Parent University via Zoom. Topic: Screen time (How fitting?!)
- Jan 18: Martin Luther King Day, no classes.
- Jan 21: Home & School
- Jan 29: End of 2nd Quarter
- Jan 30 – Feb 6: Catholic Schools Week
Catholic Schools Week
Almost all of our normal Catholic Schools Week activities involved large gatherings that just won’t be possible this year. Along with themed attire each day, below are some of our ideas:
- Movie day with candy suckers
- Bingo day
- Pizza and Virtual Field Trip Day
- Minute to Win It Day
- Class Act (recorded) and Ice Cream Day
When Did We Become Older?
Thank you for the birthday wishes posted on JFK Moms & Dads. I had an enjoyable birthday dinner last night with my wife Lynn and Caitlin, who is still home from college. I think some aspects of getting older are catching up to me! I had to go out twice yesterday to clean up the sidewalks and driveway from the ice and snow. I just couldn’t do it all at one time, even with Caitlin’s help!
On Wednesday morning, when I was outside cleaning up from Tuesday night’s storm, I had to wonder, “when did we become some of the oldest people in the neighborhood?” I own a small snow blower, and as long as I have gas in the tank/can and am not too cold, I will clear our driveway and walks and do the neighbors’ as well. I’ve also been known to go down the alley to clear out the intersection too (because I tired of having family members get stuck there!) I started doing the neighbors’ driveways and walks when we first moved in. The two houses to the west of us had homeowners old enough to be my grandparents. Across the alley was a woman whose grandson I taught at Assumption. Next to her was an older couple, and a third house had the daughter of one of the original homes in the area from the 1920s or so. Whatever help I could give them, I did. As I was using the snowblower around the neighbors’ yards this past Wednesday morning, it dawned on me just how much things have changed. A young family with kids at All Saints is across the alley from us. Next to them is the granddaughter of the homeowners with whom we used to share tomatoes, and she and her husband have two kids not yet in school. St. Ambrose students are in houses next to us, and the original home of the area just sold. As I was outside, I began to wonder just when Lynn and I became one of oldest couples on the block. I wasn’t feeling too bad about it though as the neighbors immediately to our east are about the same age as we are — that is, at least until their daughter came out and asked me if I needed any help! I could barely speak. When did I become older?!
Chad
